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Bronchial Lavage Procedures

Bronchial lavage is a type of bronchoscopy. In bronchoscopic procedures, a doctor uses a rigid or flexible fiberoptic scope to view, flush, investigate, operate on and take samples of the airways, according to "The Merck Manual for Healthcare Professionals." Doctors often use bronchial lavage to flush out the bronchial and alveolar tract with saline solution and to treat pneumonia, flush the lungs of particles and infiltrates and diagnose infections reports the American Thoracic Society.

  1. Preparation Procedures

    • Doctors give medication to quell discomfort and the gag reflex.

      Patients who are to receive bronchial lavage shouldn't eat or drink anything at least four hours before the process. An IV and monitors for blood pressure, blood oxygen and cardiac activity must be arranged.

      Patients may receive Atropine or other bronchial dilators to open the airways. They receive benzodiazepine and narcotics to quell anxiety, discomfort and cough. Lidocaine will numb the pharynx and vocal cords.

    Insertion Procedures

    • Oxygen levels are measured throughout the procedure and afterwards.

      A doctor using a bronchoscope lubricated with lidocaine jelly passes it through the nose or mouth, back through the nasopharynx, larynx and vocal cords, into the trachea and then into the bronchial tubes.

    Flushing Procedure

    • Warmed saline solution is injected into the airways.

      A doctor injects warmed saline through the bronchoscope about 20 milliliters at a time. Suction is applied to collect the lavage specimen. The flushing and collection may continue up to five times until 100 to 120 milliliters of solution have been administered. Breathing deeply can help the collection process.

    Aftercare Procedures

    • The collected lavage fluid is sent for testing.

      Patients receive supplemental oxygen and staff observe them for two to four hours for proper blood oxygen levels and the return of the gag reflex. The doctor may order a chest X-ray if a biopsy was done. The lavage solution gathered from the airways goes our for testing.

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